WF Case Study 2008 - WickedFire - Affiliate Marketing Forum

Swifty · 01-09-2008, 06:02 PM

Let's get straight to it.
This year, we'll be conducting an official 2008 WickedFire Case Study. The goal of this is to get 15 newbies here at WickedFire on the right track and earning some money. Those of you who wish to participate will need to reply here in this thread with the following requirements. You must have:

A domain name that you will use for the case study:

Recommendations -

NameCheap - WinterFever coupon ($8.41 domain/free WhoisGuard)
Godaddy - CJCDEAL12 coupon ($6.95 domain)
Moniker - $10.49 domains

A hosting account:

Recommendation -
HostGator - ICEISHOT coupon ($9.94 off [first month $0.01])

Barebones WordPress installed (with a theme)

Fantastico (in your hosting account) allows for a quick click install, but have the .zip for yourself, which you can download from:
WordPress Download (WordPress › Download)
WordPress Themes (themes.wordpress.net)
If you have any questions regarding the barebones installation of WordPress on your host, feel free to ask for help in this thread.

A niche. Chances are, if you have a domain name, you've decided on a niche (not necessarily, but likely)

If you can't think of a niche, it may be a good idea to choose one concerning the Spring season:

Spring Clothing
Gardening
Spring Accessories
Flowers

An Adsense/Yahoo Publisher Network Account and/or
An Ad Network Campaign for your niche (Copeac, Neverblue Ads, etc). Preferred, but optional

Commitment

Those are the things that you must have ready before replying that you wish to participate. It is preferred that you have $100 - $150 per month to spend on your campaigns for this case study. The goal here will be to teach you how to make money, so it shouldn't be a problem earning it back.

You have one week to reply in this thread stating that you wish to participate. It is not guaranteed that everyone who asks will be accepted. We will be judging based on your behavior here on the forum and whatever else we have seen of your work ethic. If you are not well known here, feel free to say why you think you should be allowed into the case study. The current set limit is at 15. That means that we will be accepting 15 committed newbies to join in, and after that, doors are closed, until further notice. If you are not accepted, do not feel bad about it. There are plenty of threads here on the public forum that you can learn from. Continue to read and apply, and you'll still be light years ahead of plenty of the other newbies across the internet.

To clear uncertainty, this case study will take place in a private section of the forum. After 15 committed members have been notified of, and accepted, their acceptance, they will be invited to join, and we will carry out our sessions. You can expect to see myself, SEO_Mike, GeekCognito, MKrongel, MyOwnDemon, AdJumpCM, and Aequitas guiding you along (among other moderators and guides who will be joining) with this. With that said, get prepared and get in. If you have questions concerning this pre-case study, please ask here.

Uzzz · 01-09-2008, 06:24 PM

i like earning monies. I'm game.

AdJumpCM · 01-09-2008, 06:32 PM

I encourage anyone who's hesitant or unsure of how to get started to join. We are expecting a wide range of people, from complete newbies to people who know the ropes a bit. There are a lot of experienced and dedicated people working on this case study to make it happen and make it work, so please only enter it if you are committed to it.

cyberworkspace · 01-09-2008, 06:33 PM

well, as i missed last years case study i take my chances to apply for this one. sounds very interesting and although i already learned a thing or two already from wickedfire, i still consider myself a noob as i have not setup any site for monetization yet, except for some minor and irrelevant attempts.

as one of my good intentions for 2008 has been to finally get some money-making affiliate site up and running, i am really looking forward to participate in this

mckay · 01-09-2008, 06:43 PM

I'd like to be considered for this project. I know I haven't posted that much, but I've been testing the waters with all the info that I read here since my first day as a member. Also, I have the technical background, I just need the right direction in AM.

mckay

MyOwnDemon · 01-09-2008, 06:46 PM

Like Swifty and Cam said, we got some good guys here with solid backgrounds willing to help out the inexperienced newbies get started on the right money making path.

We'll be working with 15 of you guys on a personal level to make sure everyone is happy, everyone is learning, and most importantly - everyone is making money. So, if you can devote serious time and effort into this, apply now before the slots fill up, and I assure you, they will fill up fast.

jstme · 01-09-2008, 06:52 PM

so is this a how to or just we will help monitor your campaign? Will it cover a few aspects of IM or focus on 1 thing? While I am not a noob at im....I still have alot to learn, I earn ok but it's more of the throw shit at the wall and see what sticks method. If I fit the bill, I'm game for it.

AdJumpCM · 01-09-2008, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jstme

so is this a how to or just we will help monitor your campaign? Will it cover a few aspects of IM or focus on 1 thing? While I am not a noob at im....I still have alot to learn, I earn ok but it's more of the throw shit at the wall and see what sticks method. If I fit the bill, I'm game for it.

The concept of this case study is to basically do the following:

+ Create a website/blog and monetize it with AdSense/YPN and affiliate offers
+ Learn SEO/basic promotion to generate traffic to said website/blog
+ Post continual updates and help each other out. People with expertise in certain areas (SEO, content, PPC, etc.) will help direct the study.
+ Revenue will be made, prizes for the top performer will be given.

In reality, all you need is a will and drive to want to learn how to succeed and we're literally handing you a proven and workable method.

Swifty · 01-09-2008, 06:59 PM

It will be a how to, and help in monitoring the progress of your website. It will cover a few aspects of IM, and some will be focused on more specifically than others. If you already have all of the requirements listed, then yes you're eligible.

Choller · 01-09-2008, 07:26 PM

I'm applying. Would like to learn more from you guys. I'm not a noob but no expert neither and i feel like going through this case study will help me improve other aspects that i'm not good at (or not so experienced).

mcolella · 01-09-2008, 07:27 PM

I am up for this... I've been preparing for the last 6 months trying to figure everything out. Although I have a full time job - I have 30-40hrs per week to spend on IM, mostly been reading so far. Here's where I'm at:

I've got 12 domains at namecheap related to babies, dating, fitness/weightloss. Have a HostGator account. Wordpress install is on my list of things to do over the next week.

I've got an adwords/adsense, yahoo, and msn account. I just got accepted at CPA Empire and Neverblue... still waiting on Azoogle.

Have basic knowledge of photoshop, SEO, HTML + CSS and I'm very slowly getting started on PHP. I've built one site by coding html with a text editor. About 2 months experience with PPC, just direct linking to clickbank.

I've made $5 on adsense and about $300 net using PPC-> clickbank so far. Looking to ramp up with multiple sites and get into some CPA.

I have the budget and will do the work required - I would very much appreciate a chance to partcipate.

Mike

DelJean · 01-09-2008, 07:36 PM

I'd like to help out. I've done pretty well with blogging and content generation over the past four years, and I'd be happy to give back some of that by helping a newbie in this area.

invisible777 · 01-09-2008, 07:40 PM

I would like to be a part of this Case Study. I started affiliate marketing in August, so in the grand scheme of things I'm still a newbie and still very much learning the ropes, but all the same I have a good deal of knowledge with PPC, web design, basic web development and basic stat tracking / analytics.

I can certainly devote the time, energy and money for this case study.

cjtowner · 01-09-2008, 07:46 PM

I'll participate!

BrooklynBlue · 01-09-2008, 07:55 PM

Wow, this sounds like an amazing opportunity! I'd love to apply.

I'm new here, so have no WF track record, but see my introduction post for background. I don't have any experience as a webmaster or internet marketer, but I do have technical chops and a strong resume to demonstrate that I'm driven, organized, and a proven high achiever. (I will provide a scrubbed version in private if requested by an organizer)

Two niches I have already done preliminary research on and feel comfortable to get started on:
1. A video game niche with fairly weak existing competition but relatively low volume right now. However, I think it's poised for some real activity this spring. (have domain, no hosting yet)
2. A hard alcohol niche with very little competition but may be difficult to monetize due to AdWords/AdSense TOS and lack of affiliate opportunities outside of Amazon and eBay. I have a lot of knowledge here and enough prior networking in the area that I could hopefully bring some really unique content. (domain, hosting, and WP in place. no content)

Two additional niches I have brainstormed a bit and think they hold promise but need to do more due diligence.
1. Individual health insurance in the U.S. Already heavy competition I imagine, but I can come up with good content and know the landscape well. Need to research monetization opportunities and how hard it will be to rank. (have domain, no hosting)
2. A men's luxury goods niche with weak blog competition, very strong forums presence. (no domain yet). Need to narrow down probably but could be promising depending on what aff opps could be uncovered.

So I need to do the following:
1. Narrow down which niche to focus on. Eventually I want to try all four, but advice on which to use for the case study would be welcome.
2. Set up hosting if not already in place (can be done in a few minutes)
3. Set up an AdSense/YPN account.
4. Set up some more network accounts. I have Copeac And ClickBank but haven't done jack yet.
4. Money to fund this isn't a problem. I'll budget $500/mo.

Catt · 01-09-2008, 08:15 PM

I am not a total newb to AM, I am doing okay with DTM and Adwords, but I really need to expand my efforts. I usually just get caught up managing my campaigns on a daily basis and then putting new ones up, it's okay but I want to broaden my base and focus.

It would be very interesting to take part in this and to be more active in this forum.

I have hosting, several domain names, adwords account, and an account with one affiliate network.

No adsense account as yet.

Am I eligible?

ZeroOne · 01-09-2008, 08:25 PM

How much time does something like this require, say per week?

IamTHErabbit · 01-09-2008, 08:31 PM

Hi,

I would really appreciate being considered for this. I am new here but am committed to making a serious career out of Internet marketing. I work a normal 40+ hour day job but have still been putting in at least 30 hours per week on trying to build a profitable, sustainable income from Internet marketing. See this thread for more details on what I am currently working on - A Newb With a Plan

I see this an invaluable opportunity to learn from some genuine, no bullshit professionals.

01-09-2008, 06:02 PM	#1 (permalink)
Swifty Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 284	WF Case Study 2008 Let's get straight to it. This year, we'll be conducting an official 2008 WickedFire Case Study. The goal of this is to get 15 newbies here at WickedFire on the right track and earning some money. Those of you who wish to participate will need to reply here in this thread with the following requirements. You must have: A domain name that you will use for the case study: Recommendations - NameCheap - WinterFever coupon ($8.41 domain/free WhoisGuard) Godaddy - CJCDEAL12 coupon ($6.95 domain) Moniker - $10.49 domains A hosting account: Recommendation - HostGator - ICEISHOT coupon ($9.94 off [first month $0.01]) Barebones WordPress installed (with a theme) Fantastico (in your hosting account) allows for a quick click install, but have the .zip for yourself, which you can download from: WordPress Download (WordPress › Download) WordPress Themes (themes.wordpress.net) If you have any questions regarding the barebones installation of WordPress on your host, feel free to ask for help in this thread. A niche. Chances are, if you have a domain name, you've decided on a niche (not necessarily, but likely) If you can't think of a niche, it may be a good idea to choose one concerning the Spring season: Spring Clothing Gardening Spring Accessories Flowers An Adsense/Yahoo Publisher Network Account and/or An Ad Network Campaign for your niche (Copeac, Neverblue Ads, etc). Preferred, but optional Commitment Those are the things that you must have ready before replying that you wish to participate. It is preferred that you have $100 - $150 per month to spend on your campaigns for this case study. The goal here will be to teach you how to make money, so it shouldn't be a problem earning it back. You have one week to reply in this thread stating that you wish to participate. It is not guaranteed that everyone who asks will be accepted. We will be judging based on your behavior here on the forum and whatever else we have seen of your work ethic. If you are not well known here, feel free to say why you think you should be allowed into the case study. The current set limit is at 15. That means that we will be accepting 15 committed newbies to join in, and after that, doors are closed, until further notice. If you are not accepted, do not feel bad about it. There are plenty of threads here on the public forum that you can learn from. Continue to read and apply, and you'll still be light years ahead of plenty of the other newbies across the internet. To clear uncertainty, this case study will take place in a private section of the forum. After 15 committed members have been notified of, and accepted, their acceptance, they will be invited to join, and we will carry out our sessions. You can expect to see myself, SEO_Mike, GeekCognito, MKrongel, MyOwnDemon, AdJumpCM, and Aequitas guiding you along (among other moderators and guides who will be joining) with this. With that said, get prepared and get in. If you have questions concerning this pre-case study, please ask here.

01-09-2008, 06:24 PM	#2 (permalink)
Uzzz Death im yur Bitch Lover! Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Canada, T.O Posts: 1,164	i like earning monies. I'm game. __________________ How to make Money- Join Copeac Today! ______________________________________________

01-09-2008, 06:32 PM	#3 (permalink)
AdJumpCM Affiliate Manager Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 277	I encourage anyone who's hesitant or unsure of how to get started to join. We are expecting a wide range of people, from complete newbies to people who know the ropes a bit. There are a lot of experienced and dedicated people working on this case study to make it happen and make it work, so please only enter it if you are committed to it. __________________ OurFreeStuff.net - Over 500 offers (USA, CAD, UK, AU, and international) and accurate tracking. Come see why plenty of WickedFire members use us. AIM: cmartelcdnspnsrs YAHOO: cmartel_canadiansponsors MSN: cameron_canadiansponsors@hotmail.com E-MAIL: cameron@canadiansponsors.com

01-09-2008, 06:33 PM	#4 (permalink)
cyberworkspace Beat Me @ MyStockBet.com Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 397	application well, as i missed last years case study i take my chances to apply for this one. sounds very interesting and although i already learned a thing or two already from wickedfire, i still consider myself a noob as i have not setup any site for monetization yet, except for some minor and irrelevant attempts. as one of my good intentions for 2008 has been to finally get some money-making affiliate site up and running, i am really looking forward to participate in this __________________ Make money playing against me @ My Daily Stock Market Bet. Or just visit thecoolestblogontheplanet.com. Or have fun with Chuck Norris Jokes.

01-09-2008, 06:43 PM	#5 (permalink)
mckay Junior Member Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 17	Ready to enter I'd like to be considered for this project. I know I haven't posted that much, but I've been testing the waters with all the info that I read here since my first day as a member. Also, I have the technical background, I just need the right direction in AM. mckay

01-09-2008, 06:46 PM	#6 (permalink)
MyOwnDemon Face Rocker Join Date: Jan 2007 Posts: 1,968	Like Swifty and Cam said, we got some good guys here with solid backgrounds willing to help out the inexperienced newbies get started on the right money making path. We'll be working with 15 of you guys on a personal level to make sure everyone is happy, everyone is learning, and most importantly - everyone is making money. So, if you can devote serious time and effort into this, apply now before the slots fill up, and I assure you, they will fill up fast. __________________ I design custom landing pages - $65 each. 900+ LPs designed for WickedFire members. PM me for more details... or check this thread.

01-09-2008, 06:52 PM	#7 (permalink)
jstme Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2006 Posts: 132	so is this a how to or just we will help monitor your campaign? Will it cover a few aspects of IM or focus on 1 thing? While I am not a noob at im....I still have alot to learn, I earn ok but it's more of the throw shit at the wall and see what sticks method. If I fit the bill, I'm game for it. __________________ Sign up With yahoo search marketing and get a $25 credit. Ads4dough - You're Invited, Join Now! Join Hydra Network, The Leading Performance-Based Advertising Network, Today!

01-09-2008, 06:59 PM	#9 (permalink)
Swifty Join Date: Jun 2007 Posts: 284	It will be a how to, and help in monitoring the progress of your website. It will cover a few aspects of IM, and some will be focused on more specifically than others. If you already have all of the requirements listed, then yes you're eligible.

01-09-2008, 07:26 PM	#10 (permalink)
Choller Senior Member Join Date: May 2007 Posts: 195	I'm applying. Would like to learn more from you guys. I'm not a noob but no expert neither and i feel like going through this case study will help me improve other aspects that i'm not good at (or not so experienced).

01-09-2008, 07:27 PM	#11 (permalink)
mcolella Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 3	I am up for this... I've been preparing for the last 6 months trying to figure everything out. Although I have a full time job - I have 30-40hrs per week to spend on IM, mostly been reading so far. Here's where I'm at: I've got 12 domains at namecheap related to babies, dating, fitness/weightloss. Have a HostGator account. Wordpress install is on my list of things to do over the next week. I've got an adwords/adsense, yahoo, and msn account. I just got accepted at CPA Empire and Neverblue... still waiting on Azoogle. Have basic knowledge of photoshop, SEO, HTML + CSS and I'm very slowly getting started on PHP. I've built one site by coding html with a text editor. About 2 months experience with PPC, just direct linking to clickbank. I've made $5 on adsense and about $300 net using PPC-> clickbank so far. Looking to ramp up with multiple sites and get into some CPA. I have the budget and will do the work required - I would very much appreciate a chance to partcipate. Mike

01-09-2008, 07:36 PM	#12 (permalink)
DelJean Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Posts: 46	I'd like to help out. I've done pretty well with blogging and content generation over the past four years, and I'd be happy to give back some of that by helping a newbie in this area.

01-09-2008, 07:40 PM	#13 (permalink)
invisible777 Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2007 Posts: 564	I would like to be a part of this Case Study. I started affiliate marketing in August, so in the grand scheme of things I'm still a newbie and still very much learning the ropes, but all the same I have a good deal of knowledge with PPC, web design, basic web development and basic stat tracking / analytics. I can certainly devote the time, energy and money for this case study.

01-09-2008, 07:46 PM	#14 (permalink)
cjtowner Junior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 1	I'll participate!

01-09-2008, 07:55 PM	#15 (permalink)
BrooklynBlue Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2007 Posts: 225	Wow, this sounds like an amazing opportunity! I'd love to apply. I'm new here, so have no WF track record, but see my introduction post for background. I don't have any experience as a webmaster or internet marketer, but I do have technical chops and a strong resume to demonstrate that I'm driven, organized, and a proven high achiever. (I will provide a scrubbed version in private if requested by an organizer) Two niches I have already done preliminary research on and feel comfortable to get started on: 1. A video game niche with fairly weak existing competition but relatively low volume right now. However, I think it's poised for some real activity this spring. (have domain, no hosting yet) 2. A hard alcohol niche with very little competition but may be difficult to monetize due to AdWords/AdSense TOS and lack of affiliate opportunities outside of Amazon and eBay. I have a lot of knowledge here and enough prior networking in the area that I could hopefully bring some really unique content. (domain, hosting, and WP in place. no content) Two additional niches I have brainstormed a bit and think they hold promise but need to do more due diligence. 1. Individual health insurance in the U.S. Already heavy competition I imagine, but I can come up with good content and know the landscape well. Need to research monetization opportunities and how hard it will be to rank. (have domain, no hosting) 2. A men's luxury goods niche with weak blog competition, very strong forums presence. (no domain yet). Need to narrow down probably but could be promising depending on what aff opps could be uncovered. So I need to do the following: 1. Narrow down which niche to focus on. Eventually I want to try all four, but advice on which to use for the case study would be welcome. 2. Set up hosting if not already in place (can be done in a few minutes) 3. Set up an AdSense/YPN account. 4. Set up some more network accounts. I have Copeac And ClickBank but haven't done jack yet. 4. Money to fund this isn't a problem. I'll budget $500/mo.

01-09-2008, 08:15 PM	#16 (permalink)
Catt Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: UK Posts: 38	I am not a total newb to AM, I am doing okay with DTM and Adwords, but I really need to expand my efforts. I usually just get caught up managing my campaigns on a daily basis and then putting new ones up, it's okay but I want to broaden my base and focus. It would be very interesting to take part in this and to be more active in this forum. I have hosting, several domain names, adwords account, and an account with one affiliate network. No adsense account as yet. Am I eligible?

01-09-2008, 08:25 PM	#17 (permalink)
ZeroOne I get Moneh Join Date: Aug 2007 Posts: 188	How much time does something like this require, say per week?

01-09-2008, 08:31 PM	#18 (permalink)
IamTHErabbit Junior Member Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 19	Hi, I would really appreciate being considered for this. I am new here but am committed to making a serious career out of Internet marketing. I work a normal 40+ hour day job but have still been putting in at least 30 hours per week on trying to build a profitable, sustainable income from Internet marketing. See this thread for more details on what I am currently working on - A Newb With a Plan I see this an invaluable opportunity to learn from some genuine, no bullshit professionals.